Chapter 4

Jack sat on the edge of a cliff staring out on the winter touched landscape. It was gorgeous to the winter spirit, and he tried not to think how Ember would scoff at him just enjoying the moment. He glanced around again wondering where the fire spirit could be. For over an hour, he had waited at their meeting point but nothing. Something in his gut was telling him the situation was off; that he should be quite worried.

Not seeing much choice and knowing the Guardians would come looking for him soon, the winter spirit floated up a few feet before telling the wind to take him to Hawaii. Thankfully with it winter, the islands were less likely to heat him into an early grave. The trip wasn't horribly long with the cold air being so abundant this close to Christmas.

Jack felt his toes dig into the sand as he came to a stop, and he enjoyed the feel for the moment as the still luke warm water lapped at his ankles. He set his staff on his shoulder and headed up the beach towards the only house on this part of the island. The hammock was still sitting out on the porch, and Jack remembered how a few times back, he had caught her napping there. It was natural for him to fill it with snow… just as she said it was natural for her to try and light his hair on fire.

Touching his staff to the door, he cascaded frost across all the glass hoping to get the fire spirit's attention without stepping inside. The house, as he knew, was like a boiler; it was kept far above what he considered comfortable. When they talked here, it was always outside.

"Firefly!" he shouted when she had yet to appear. "Come on, you can't be that mad at me. I haven't made it snow here yet."

"It is very impolite to shout," a voice rang out behind the winter spirit; he turned to see a well-dressed man staring at him, intrigue evident. Jack would have thought him human if not for the fact he was looking right at the winter spirit and just spoke.

"So is breaking into the house," Jack said slowly unsure what to make of the situation. "Who are you?"

"It is more considerate to give your name first," the man continued, tilting his head ever so slightly.

"I'm going with creepy," Jack continued deciding whoever this guy was, there was something seriously off about him. The way he stared not at the winter spirit but almost through put Jack very on edge. He was half tempted to just go back to the Warren, but he knew this guy probably had something to do with the lack of Ember.

"You're an interesting lad aren't you," the man continued. "You speak to yourself, you're quite sardonic, and you seem to not hold yourself in high regard."

The winter spirit frowned and tightened his hold on his staff. He was ready for a fight, not that he knew it would turn to one. It just didn't seem right that this guy was here, talking to a spirit and mocking his manners. Underneath his feet, he felt the frost and cold seeping out.

"Well that's quite alright," the man shrugged. "We can work on your manners. I will admit I had a different appointment to hold before you showed up, but it'd be rude of me to just leave you here." From seemingly nowhere, the man pulled out a samurai looking sword. "You could just surrender and w can avoid all the mess."

Jack screwed his face up like he was thinking before nodding. "Yeah um no," he said flipping his staff forward and shooting ice that this guy. He didn't even move; the guy swung his sword and ice just parted for him. The winter spirit suddenly knew he was going to have his hands full.

Taking to the sky, Jack called forth a blizzard trying not to think of how much Ember would kill him when she saw her house under ten feet of snow. Still, the guy just stood there smiling as if he enjoyed the snow; which was too bad, Jack could usually get along with someone who loved winter as he did.

"Come now," the man called up. "Stop with these silly games." He reached into his breast pocket to reveal a small compact mirror. Jack half expected him to powder his nose at this point. The wind was howling, and snow was clinging to trees as the storm the winter spirit summoned picked up speed. Any normal person would have been on their knees from the sheer chill.

Out of nowhere, Jack was slammed from behind. He tumbled forward but kept himself in the air. Frost turned to see another spirit flying with him: she was older than Jack, with black rotting wings. Her blonde hair was raggedy and pulled into a tight pony tail. Her black eyes were turned onto him as was her bow. In truth, he had seen a very similar spirit: Cupid. He had only met the spirit of love once in passing, but this girl looked strikingly similar except for the fact this spirit looked like she went through the grinder a few times.

Below the two floating spirits, Edge was clapping his hands in excitement. He knew had Cupid long enough finally; in truth, when he had left his base, he wasn't sure if she had lost enough strength to bring out her counterpart. Mirrors didn't just show people what they were, but they held the surface for what a future could look like and what an opposite could be.

Edge had that power: to change a person by showing them their reflection. He had weakened Cupid's will until she couldn't help but stare into a mirror and see herself turned evil… saw herself not as a spirit of love but hate. And that was what Jack was fighting now- a spirit of hate. Edge smiled at his creation before looking down at the mirror in his hand to see the Cupid all the other spirit's knew banging against the reflective surface, trapped for the moment. He doubted the transition was complete, which meant this half of Cupid would soon return to this other realm held in mirrors and Cupid would be back in her cage horrified at what she'd let out.

The man was just excited to have Jack so close into one of his cages; he had actually wanted to go after the leprechaun, but the little guy was difficult to catch… and then, he had the good fortune to run across Jack looking for Ember- this brought up numerous questions as he had thought the two were mortal enemies. Then again, perhaps he should have assumed the two were on some sort of friendly terms since he had found her in Antarctica.

When all the spirits of the world were trapped, he could let each of their counterparts out onto the world while they would be trapped in the mirrors left to watch and suffer. Children wouldn't have wonder, dreams, fun, love or any of that in their lives; they would know disbelief, fear, rules, and hate. Edge had every intention of bringing this dream of his to the world.

He had to snap back to attention when Jack slammed into the ground in front of him, an arrow embedded in his shoulder. "I would have thought you would have learned to dodge those better since Ember's weapon of choice is a bow."

"It's not like me and her have 'avoid arrow' class every week," the winter spirit growled moving to grab his fallen staff, but Edge beat him there.

"You won't need this for a bit," he smiled. "I hope you'll like the accommodations, and I'm sure you and Ember will have plenty to talk about. Including this arrow class."

"You have Ember?" Jack growled knowing he could easily use his powers without his staff, but if this guy had the fire spirit… Jack decided to play weak; he needed to know what this guy was capable of.

"Yes," Edge smiled. "And you'll get to see her soon." He clapped excitedly. "Oh what a wonderful day."

Chapter 5: Ember and Jack try to find a way out of their prison, so that they can warn the Guardians. Edge continues to collect spirits for his nasty plan of changing everything children believe in.

OOC: Okay, I know some of you will be confused about Edge, so let me run it down right here (it's sometimes hard to create an explanation in story).

So a mirror as all of you (I hope at least) know has your reflection; Edge is saying that the person in the mirror isn't really you but an opposite you (You love icecream, they hate icecream sort of thing). He has the power to switch you out with your counterpart. In terms of the spirits, a spirit of Love will become a spirit of hate when he switches them out. He traps the spirits we all know and love in mirrors, and he is going to use these anti-spirits to take over the world ;). I hope that clears it up- if not PM me, and I'll explain it again.